


Still Going Strong

by orphan_account



Category: Riptide (TV)
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2011-09-14
Updated: 2011-09-14
Packaged: 2017-10-23 17:55:37
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,839
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/253173
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/orphan_account
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Nick and Cody celebrate one year as lovers.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Still Going Strong

**Author's Note:**

> by Morgan MacCarin & Tara MacKenzie

An unusually hot August had turned most of Shark Island's landscape yellow and brown. Cody Allen paused under the still-green leaves of a tree along the narrow trail and watched Nick make his way up the dirt path. He was taking his time, slowed down by the large plastic cooler he was carrying. They had been taking turns lugging the heavy container, but it might be time to share the chore once they started up the next rise, the last section of the trail being rather steep.

When Nick reached him, Cody pointed to the cooler and the brunet nodded.

As they made their way up to the top of the hill, Cody marveled at how he and Nick communicated without words, and had for many years. But it had gotten even easier over the past year. He shook his head slightly and snorted softly. Who would have thought that he and Nick would ever become lovers, and that after a year together they were still going strong. He knew he'd never considered the idea. Not until Nick had finally broken down and told him how he'd felt.

And of all the people in the world, he had Janet to thank for that. _Ironic_ , he thought. And she'd once accused him of not being able to commit to a relationship?

They paused at the top of the hill. Tugging the hem of his sweat-damp T-shirt up, Cody wiped his face, but the moisture hiding in his blond hair immediately slid down to replace what he'd just removed.

"I've got it the rest of the way," Nick said. "Go find us a good spot."

After a final attack with the cotton garment, Cody turned and continued down the hill, eager to reach the small cove at the bottom. It was a challenging hike even in good weather, and the unusual heat had made it seem twice as long as he remembered, but he knew that the tiny seaside retreat would be worth all their efforts.

 _Besides_ , he thought. _The ocean breeze will cool us off once we get to the cove._

 _Or maybe not_ , he considered, smiling. He was horny. One hundred percent in need of a good, long fuck. He wanted nothing more than to take a quick dip, cool off, and then. . . .

He shook his head to clear the images away, and with them the partial erection that had started to strain against his bathing trunks. Plenty of time for that, _after_ the swim and some late lunch.

The trip to the Shark Island hideaway had been Murray's idea, to celebrate their one-year anniversary. The heavy cooler was the computer wizard's idea as well. Neither he nor Nick knew exactly what was waiting inside, but Murray had insisted that they bring it along, so they'd agreed in order to get on their way.

Cody grinned as the image of Murray, standing on the dock where the _Ebbtide_ was tied, filled his thoughts. He could recall every fashion-insulting detail of the man's faded Bermuda shorts, his long-sleeve plaid shirt, the buttons at the cuffs both undone, and his brand new navy-colored deck shoes. Well, at least they'd finally talked him into giving up the wing-tips.

Murray had been the first to realize the important date that was fast approaching, but they'd all spent the better part of the three months working on two stubborn cases that filled almost all of their time. That continued lack of time for Nick and himself had been starting to drive Cody a little crazy, and despite his best efforts, he had to admit that he'd started taking it out on Nick and Murray.

So, when they'd finally wrapped up the Castleton and Corbaire cases Murray had dashed off, muttering something about a second honeymoon to celebrate their anniversary.

"If this is Murray's idea of a second honeymoon, you better pray you never get pregnant," Nick grumbled from behind him.

Cody paused and turned. "Pregnant? Me?" He grinned.

"Hey, you never know what Murray might come up with."

"Yeah, true, but even so . . . it might be you."

"Me?"

"Yeah, you," Cody said, grinning. "You'd look really lovely in a pastel maternity frock. . ."

"Fuck you."

"I hope so," Cody half-growled, then added, "And you know as well as I do that he was just trying to do something special for us."

"For you," Nick corrected with a grin of his own. "You were getting as grouchy as an old bear."

"Can I help it if I wasn't getting enough of you to keep me happy?"

"I told you not to take that second case until we finished the first one," Nick grouched, but he was still grinning. "Damn, this thing's _heavy_. What's he got in here, anyway?"

"I don't know any more about that than you do . . . Here, I'll help."

Nick sucked in a deep breath and met Cody's amused expression, two pairs of blue eyes dancing with anticipation. "All right, fine. Take a handle," he finally said, making it sound like he was doing Cody a favor.

The blond gripped one sweat-slicked plastic handle, noting again just how heavy the contents really were. "What in the world _did_ he put in here?"

"Your guess is as good as mine," Nick replied under his breath. "You know, sometimes I think maybe aliens really have been here, you know, abducting people, doing experiments on them."

Cody was confused. "What are you talking about?"

"Murray," Nick said. "I think he's one of the alien experiments. The one that got away."

Cody chuckled. "Come on," he said with a grin, "we're almost there. Then we can open our present."

"Oh, is _that_ what you call this?"

 

* ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ *

 

Reaching the bottom of the last steep hill, Cody stopped in the heavy shade of a large tree growing just beyond the reach of the sand. The deep blue of the Pacific Ocean broke easily on the short shoreline of the cove and a few sandpipers and gulls paraded along the wet sand, looking for any tasty morsels the retreating waves might have deposited for them.

A light breeze picked up and Cody smiled. "You know, I forget just how beautiful this place is."

"Yeah," Nick breathed, looking out at the ocean and the distant white sails, which were no more than specks.

They set the cooler down under the tree, then Nick pulled his backpack off. Unzipping it, he tugged out the faded tie-dyed blanket they used for picnicking on the beach.

Bending over slightly, Cody rested his hands on his knees, catching his breath while he watched the rhythm of nature moving around them -- the waves, the birds, the wind, the sound of the plants bending. Lost in his own thoughts, he didn't hear Nick step up next to him.

"What's the matter? Too much work for you?"

Cody leveled a sheepish grin on the dark-haired man. "Just too damned hot for this kind of work."

"Work? _I_ did most of the work." Nick grinned. "You're gettin' old, Cody."

"No faster than you are," the blond reminded, not missing the humor bouncing in his friend's blue eyes. It was nice to know that they had a few days off.

"Maybe, but you'll still get too old four years ahead of me."

Cody shook his head. It was an old tease between the two of them. He looked back out at the Pacific.

"Doesn't look like we're gonna get much more than this breeze," Nick said, disappointment clear in his voice.

"I think a swim might be the solution," Cody said. "Care to join me?" _Before what I want to do gets too obvious_ , he added silently.

Twin brown eyebrows climbed suspiciously. "Swim?"

"Yeah, you know, get in the water, kick your feet and move your arms to stay afloat?"

"Very funny," Nick replied, but he glanced out at the low waves and grinned. "I'm still not the fish you are."

Cody stripped off his T-shirt, tossing it over a low hanging tree limb, then kicked off his shoes. He glanced around, making sure they were alone, then pulled his swim-trunks off as well.

"What're you waiting for?" he asked when Nick hesitated. "It's not like I haven't seen--"

"It's not that," Nick said, still staring at the man he'd wanted for so long, and now had. "I was just admiring--" He shook his head, a sheepish expression on his face. "Never mind."

Cody grinned and wagged his eyebrows several times. "I'll take that as a compliment."

Trying to ignore his lover's gloating expression, Nick quickly removed his shorts, tank top, and shoes.

Following Cody toward the small waves, Nick watched the well-built man stride confidently into the water. Cody was tanner than he remembered. _Must've been lyin' out while I was working on the Mimi the last couple of times_ , he reasoned.

The blond's long legs puckered with gooseflesh, the water still cool despite the hot weather, and Nick found himself staring at the white cheeks of Cody's butt. It had been a little more than a month since they'd had the time or the energy to enjoy their usually active sex life. Now, the desire he'd placed on hold rushed back with a force strong enough to make him stumble.

Cody started to turn, to see what had happened, so Nick swallowed hard and dove under a wave. When he surfaced several yards out, Cody laughed and shook his head. "What's up? You usually have to work up to it."

"It's hot," Nick countered.

"It's easier if you just get wet all at once," Cody lectured.

"Says you."

Cody shook his head, then dove into a wave and swam out to where the cove opened onto the Pacific. He paused, treading water while he watched the boats and gulls. It was so peaceful, so perfect, he wished he could just freeze time for the two of them, but he knew that was impossible. With a soft sigh, he headed back toward the beach.

Nick was standing in the water, just past the breakers.

"Hey, are you going to swim?"

With a sheepish tone, Nick conceded, "It's colder than I thought." Mischief sparkled in the blue eyes. "I need something to warm me up."

"Oh?"

"Something like this," he said, dousing Cody.

"Hey!" The blond detective yelped, quickly submerging and resurfacing out of Nick's range -- he hoped.

The dark-haired man laughed. "What's the matter? Can't you take a little action?"

"That's not the kind of action I was hoping for." Cody struck out, swimming parallel to the beach and Nick quickly followed alongside.

After a few minutes the pair stopped, both men rolling over to float on their backs as they stared up at the cloud-freckled blue sky while the surf softly rock them.

Nick sighed deeply. He was happy, really happy, for the first time in his life. _I can't believe we made it through a whole year_ , he thought. And it had been a good year. Oh, sure, they'd had their share of fights, just like they always had, but they quickly made up, and there were no hard feelings. He grinned. _And making up is a whole helluva lot more fun now, too_.

Nick had never imagined he’d be able to tell Cody about his feelings, and certainly never expected the other man to return them. So, fearing the consequences of sharing, he’d stayed silent and tried to be content with the trust and friendship he already had with his partner. But fate had other plans, and Nick had finally admitted what he’d kept hidden so long, expecting only the worst. Instead, Cody had not only accepted the revelation, but loved him for feeling that way. In fact, Cody had been quicker to adapt to the change in their relationship than Nick. But that was the way he was, and one reason Nick loved the other man so much. Cody was . . . Cody.

 

* ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ *

 

Cody knew Nick was thinking about the past year. And he could guess that Nick was also still marveling over the fact that they had become lovers. He'd tried to explain it, on more than one occasion, but he never could find the right words.

For some reason, Nick just couldn't understand that, for Cody, the move from what they had to what they shared now just wasn't that big of a step. Adding sex was all it really amounted to. His feeling for Nick hadn't really changed all that much. Maybe one day he'd understand.

Spreading his arms wide, Cody let his fingertips brush lightly against Nick's torso. A soft moan was the instant reply. The sound ignited the blond's desire and he let his feet sink back to the sandy bottom.

Nick continued to float nearby, his eyes closed.

Moving slowly, Cody bobbed closer until he could reach out and trace his fingers along the man's tanned collar bones. The blue eyes opened as Nick sucked in a breath, his eyes full of love and wonder.

Cody chuckled, his hand moving lightly down the man's hairy chest, then slipping over his side so he could draw Nick closer to him.

Nick stood up, nearly chest to chest with Cody.

The blond's hands came up to rest lightly on Nick's broad shoulders, and he smiled down at the disarray of dark hair that clung to his companion's forehead. Leaning closer, he kissed the tangle, then continued moving across the man's eyes, which had dropped closed, until he reached his waiting full lips. The same soft moan escaped again as Cody claimed his lover's mouth.

Nick's hands came up, rubbing along Cody's goosebump-textured sides. "Maybe we should go back to the beach?" he whispered when they parted for a breath.

Cody's fingers rubbed lightly over Nick's shoulders, then brushed across the man's already hard nipples.

Nick's eyes closed again momentarily, but opened when Cody stepped closer, the man's smooth chest pressing lightly against his.

"Here is good," Cody replied softly, maneuvering to kiss Nick a second time.

The rising tide lifted the pair off the sandy bottom, carrying them toward the beach. Sensing the danger before it happened, Nick wrapped his arms tight around Cody's back just as an incoming large wave broke over then. When they surfaced, both men were chuckling.

"If you think we're headed for the beach scene in _From Here to Eternity_ , you're nuts, man," Nick grouched good-naturedly.

Cody shook his head. "You don't look like any leading lady I've ever seen," he teased, "but, I do have plans."

"Oh?"

"If you're up to it."

Nick followed Cody to the shore, his gaze dropping to his groin. "I can honestly say I'm up for just about anything you might have in mind."

"Glad to hear it."

The pair exited the surf just in time to rescue Cody's T-shirt from being swept away, the wind having lifted it from the branch where he'd hung it earlier. Padding over to the blanket, Cody dropped down and stretched out on his back. "Sun feels good now."

Nick studied his friend, like a collector admiring a piece of art, then dropped down next to the blond and leaned over to claim a kiss of his own. A crow cawed loudly from a branch above them.

"Looks like we have a visitor," Cody said, one eye squinting open to peer at the bird.

"Let him watch," Nick suggested, nibbling at Cody's neck. "Maybe he'll learn something."

Cody's arms came up to encircle his lover, pulling Nick into a tight embrace. "God you feel good," he said. "But before we engage in any, uh, exercise, let's see what Murray packed for lunch, or dinner, okay?"

"You mean I'm gonna have until--? We're going to--? On a full stomach?"

Cody grinned. "Think of it as fueling up."

"I'd rather be feeling you up."

Cody pushed Nick off and sat up. Leaning over, he pulled the cooler lid up and peered inside. "Wow."

"What?" Nick asked, moving closer so he could get a look.

Cody saved him the effort, taking out two bottles of beer and laying them on the blanket. "And . . . two super subs from Straightaways. . ." The sandwiches joined the beer. A small boombox followed. "Music. . ."

Nick set the box to the side and pressed play on the cassette player. His favorite oldies tape started. "Good ol' Murray."

"Some of those Bozlight-lanterns -- 'in case you lose track of time and have to walk back in the dark,'" Cody read aloud from a small piece of paper.

Nick accepted Murray's latest invention and sat them to one side.

"A smaller cooler inside the cooler. . ." Cody said, taking that out and opening it. "Dessert," he announced, handing it to Nick.

The dark-haired detective looked inside. "He thought of everything, didn't he," he said with a smile. Murray knew they both loved chocolate ice cream and fresh strawberries.

"He sure did," Cody said, holding up a tube of KY.

Nick blushed, but accepted the lube, setting it aside with the Bozlight-lanterns. "So, where do you want to start?"

"Food," Cody announced.

Nick groaned.

 

* ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ *

 

Their late-lunch/early-dinner was a leisurely affair, both men enjoying the sandwiches, the beer, and finally the ice cream and fruit. Afterwards a nap was inevitable.

Cody woke first and activated the Bozlight-lanterns. Despite the deep twilight, it was still warm and comfortable. He guessed they'd just spend the night on the Island. It was a comfortable enough spot, and he doubted they'd be disturbed by any wayward tourists.

He leaned over his sleeping partner and lightly kissed his lips. Nick moaned softly, and Cody followed up with a gentle caress along the man's chest. He teased the man's nipples into hard nubs, then pulled at them with his lips.

"I like this new alarm clock," Nick sighed.

In a few moments the two men managed to scatter what was left of the cooler's contents around the blanket before they stretched out side by side.

Cody's lips came down hard to capture Nick's again. The dark-haired detective retaliated, his hands sliding up Cody's bare back, raking across the back of his neck. He chuckled when the blond pressed against his hip in reply.

Nick pressed his face against Cody's neck, launching a steady assault along the muscular curve to the man's collarbones and beyond.

Cody sucked in a sharp breath as Nick shifted to a more direct frontal attack, then moaned in surrender. When Nick brushed his growing erection, the blond growled and sat up, grabbing Nick's shoulders and forcing him over onto his back --intent on achieving final victory over his squirming lover.

He watched Nick grow hard as he stroked firmly down the man's well-muscled thighs. His legs fell open, giving Cody the room he needed, and he teased the sensitive skin where Nick's legs met his groin. Nick cursed softly under his breath, his head rolling and his fingers curling into the blanket.

Cody blew over Nick's groin, smiling when the hips pressed up. "Not yet," he said, his hands moving to the man's quivering abdomen to tease around Nick's belly button.

"You tickle me and I swear I'll make you pay," Nick panted.

Cody chuckled throatily, pushing up along the ribs, then raking his fingers back down Nick's chest, making sure he brushed both hard nipples.

"Ohgawd," Nick moaned, arching up again.

Cody bowed his head, the tip of his tongue brushing over one hard nub, prompting an even more desperate moan. He moved up to Nick's slightly parted lips.

The dark-haired detective arched up, pressing his mouth firmly against Cody's. The kiss lasted until they were forced to part, both men gasping for air.

Cody returned to Nick's nipples, circling his tongue-tip around each hard nub as Nick tossed his head, his body flushing a soft pink.

"Cody. . ." he groaned. "I've gotta come."

The blond watched the swelled cock straining to meet his touch as he ran a fingertip feather-light along its length.

Nick sucked in a breath, his hips bucking.

"Turn over."

"Cody," Nick nearly whined, "I don't think--"

"Turn over."

With a resigned sigh and a groan, Nick did as ordered, carefully easing himself down. "You're driving me crazy," he growled. "You know that, don't you?"

"I haven't even started," Cody threatened, reaching between Nick's thighs to caress the man's weighty balls.

"Ahh," Nick moaned, burying his face in the blanket and kicking his feet. He could smell the musky earth and grass underneath the soft material.

Cody grabbed the waiting ass. Nick's head popped up with a startled grunt that quickly turned into a low groan when the blond pressed the white cheeks together, then pulled them apart. He licked one finger and targeted the sensitive sphincter and pressed.

The dark-haired man choked back a cry, his hips pressing back to meet the sensation.

Cody turned him over. "Now, we get down to business," he said softly.

"Oh, man," was the thick reply. "I hate it when you get like this," he grumbled. "Mister-I-have-to-be-in-control."

"You love it."

Nick chuckled. "Damn. I do."

Lying next to Nick, Cody grinned, then leaned over and kissed the parted lips before running his tongue over them. Their lips ground together, then Cody pulled back as his hand snaked out to squeeze the dark-red shaft. Nick's hips lifted and they set a rhythm of pleasure and need.

Nick's hand reached out, groping until he found Cody's erection. The blond scooted closer so Nick could pump him for several strokes before he said, "Enough. I want this to last."

Nick chuckled throatily. "Last?"

"Last," Cody said, moving so he could lean over and kiss the almost purple head. Letting it slip into his mouth, he ran his tongue around the top, then pressed against the small opening.

"God . . . that feels . . . so good," Nick breathed.

Cody stopped and squeezed the base of the Nick's cock, pushing him back from the brink of orgasm. He moved, giving the brunet access to his cock while he started in again on Nick's, almost stopping when his lover nipped carefully on the head of his cock while his fingers teased balls, pulling and squeezing with just held-in-check need.

Cody grinned then, reaching past Nick's balls until he felt the flesh in his mouth convulse. He pressed, sending his finger into the soft warmth.

"Ahh," Nick mumbled around his mouthful.

Cody pressed in deeper, sucking at the same time. With a strangled cry Nick shoved his hips forward, come erupting. At the first salty taste, Cody felt himself explode in Nick's mouth.

When they could, the pair rolled apart, Cody's arms flung wide. Nick chuckled as he maneuvered to lie down next to him.

"Man-o-man," Nick said. "It just gets better and better, you know?"

"Yeah," Cody said, scooting closer. "I know."

"You think Murray knew this was going to happen?"

"I think he was counting on it," Cody replied with a smile. "Otherwise he would've left the KY out."

Nick giggled, then asked, "We stayin' here tonight?"

"Yeah, then we can put that lube to work in the morning. . . ."

THE END


End file.
